Jofra Archer’s Ashes preparations have suffered another setback, with the English speedster to miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League.
Archer was on Tuesday released by Mumbai Indians, set to be replaced by countryman Chris Jordan in their squad for the rest of the tournament.
Archer’s withdrawal from the Twenty20 tournament comes weeks after reports surfaced that the quick had undergone surgery on his troublesome right elbow.
He returned from a three-week layoff to play in the past four games for Mumbai, before the call was made to send him back to England.
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“Chris replaces Jofra Archer, whose recovery and fitness continues to be monitored by ECB. Jofra will return home to focus on his rehabilitation,” Mumbai said in a statement.
The 28-year-old’s exit from the IPL comes a little over five weeks out from the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on June 16.
At his best, Archer has the ability to rough-up Australia and looms as an X-factor in this year’s Ashes.
He took 22 wickets at an average of 20.27 during the 2019 series, but it was his battle with Steve Smith at Lord’s that had the longest-lasting impact.
Archer was one of the few Englishmen to trouble the Australian star during his Bradman-esque series, and struck him on the helmet in the second Test.
Smith was ultimately ruled out of the following match through concussion, and opposition teams have regularly tried to bounce out the Australian batsman ever since.
Archer, though, has barely returned to the field since that glorious 2019 season, in which he also helped England capture the one-day World Cup on home soil.
Injuries have restricted him to six Tests since that point, with his most recent being against India in Ahmedabad in February 2021.
Archer has also not played a long-form red-ball match since June 2021.
He spent 17 months on the sidelines shortly after that, and only returned from elbow and back injuries this year.
England has a Test against Ireland, starting on June 1, before the Ashes begin.
Archer is also expected to be a key part of England’s one-day World Cup in India later this year.
-AAP
